There are a large number of different goods which are packed in flexible containers or packages produced from a film material.
The packages may house particulate goods, such as crisps, peanuts or coffee beans, and in this case often have a so-called pillow shape.
Alternatively, the packages may house liquid goods, such as milk, water or wine, and are here normally of the so-called stand-up pouch type, also referred to as collapsible-type packages. Packages of the stand-up pouch type may, of course, also be used for particulate goods.
Packages or containers of this flexible type are normally opened by the removal of an end tab or corner portion. Alternatively, they can be opened by a user pulling apart the side walls of the package in order thereby to break an upper transverse seal of the package.
Common to these flexible packages is that there is often a need to be able to reseal the package once it has been opened. By resealing the package, the risk of accidental spillage of the content of the package is reduced, whilst the resealing often has a positive effect on the shelf life of the content.
This resealing may be realized with the aid of clips, screw caps, rubber bands, tapes, etc. It has nevertheless proved difficult to provide an opening device which is cheap, reliable and user-friendly.
An opening device addressing these issues is known from WO21012/062806. The opening device disclosed therein comprises a thin-walled body which is to be attached on one side wall of a flexible package, in a dispensing portion thereof. According to an embodiment disclosed in WO21012/062806, the dispensing portion is arranged in an upper corner of the package, and the dispensing portion comprises a end tab which is removable by cutting, tearing or the like, in order to form an opening through which the contents of the package may be dispensed.
The thin-walled body comprises a first hinge joint and by folding the thin-walled body about this first hinge joint, the opening of the package may be resealed by means of a locking member. The thin walled body further comprises second hinge joint extending in a direction crossing the first hinge joint, and by folding the thin-walled body about the second hinge joint, the opening may be opened up.
Filled packages provided with resealable opening devices of the type disclosed above are often distributed form the filling facility, such as a dairy, to a sales facility, such as a super market, in boxes of crates. During such distribution, the packages are often placed horizontally, i.e. lying down, in the boxes or crates. During such handling, there might be a risk for the resealable opening device to come loose from the package.